The Jolly Rancher

All candy references can be found here http://www.oldtimecandy.com/CandyList.htm (so
ya's can check and make sure I didn't cheat!) In this story, I talk
about Escaramuza, which is a traditional way of riding horses side-saddle in
the Mexican tradition.

This story is dedicated to the holder of my heart, my daughter, and all
the horses in the world.

"Look and see what I got Shadow for the Gumball Parade!"Destiny
was practically wriggling as she looked in delite at the bag of goodies she held
in her hand. Her friend Nicole looked on in amusement at her best friend. They
were planning on taking part in the Christmas parade that was taking place down
the road from them in Thelma, Texas, along with Destiny's daughter's
horse drill team. "Ya know, the parade is not for another three weeks – what's
your hurry?"

"Oh, well, ya know, after Thanksgiving all the stores
have a big sale on Christmas decorations, and well, I guess I went on a slight
shopping spree...". As her speech trailed off, her cheeks blushed
a slight cotton candy pink. She is so cute when she blushes, Nicole thought.
Huh? Cute? Um, yeah, okay.

Nicole brought her attention back to her friend. "So, what all did ya
get the big gum drop?"She asked inquiringly. "Hmm...lemme see...I
got a Christmas tree skirt to go under the saddle – see? Destiny held up
a large tree skirt that was red and green, and had little peppermint sticks and
dots all around the edging. Nicole nodded approvingly. I also got an elf hat
to go over his ears, two lengths of silver tassel to wrap around the reins of
his bridle, jingle bells to go around his feet,"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa,
slow down, ya big goober! What did you do, buy out the store?"she chuckled
as her friend again had a good blush going.

"OK, OK, maybe I went a little overboard...but ever since he was
injured, he has not been able to take part in many of the activities around here,
and since he is getting better, I just want to make it fun for him"Destiny
broke off, her voice full of longing. Her horse, Mi Sombra (My Shadow in English)
had been severely injured in his right shoulder by another horse kicking him
over a year ago. For almost a year, he was hardly able to walk – his method
of movement was more of a three-legged hop, like a dog does when it has an injury.
Destiny and Nicole had taken him to some of the top veterinarians in the area,
including the race track vets at 5th Avenue Race Track. The most any of them
could tell her is that at best he had a slight case of Navicular (horse arthritis)
going, that he probably would never recover from the shoulder bruising, and that
it would be best to put him out to pasture as a pasture ornament, or putting
him to sleep. Destiny refused to do either, stating emphatically that as long
as Shadow could eat, drink, and poop, well, that was good enough for her. Almost
a year later, he was able to have full use of his shoulder, and Destiny had been
taking him on small trail rides along the highway. The last time they had ridden,
she had ridden Shadow over twelve miles, and he did not limp once.

"Hey, it is totally due to you that he is still even around. Remember
how many people told you to put him down, that he was never going to be well
again? And how many people told you that you were just wasting your money on
an old, broken down horse? Look at him, now! You are a Life Saver for him! He
is full of energy, is walking, trotting, and loping without limping – he
is doing great. If you think all this stuff will make him happy, I say go for
it!"Nicole casually put her left arm around her friend's shoulder
and asked gently "Now, what else did you get the big hunk?"

"Well,
I got...."Destiny's voice trailed off as the two friends slowly
walked back into the feed room to get ready for the evening feeding of the horses.

"Hey, mom! Did you see my-" Destiny's daughter Analisa burst
into Destiny's bedroom and broke off as her mother pointed at the sombrero
(Mexican hat) hanging on the nail on the wall to her right. "Are you ready
for the parade, sweetie?"Destiny asked her daughter as she ran her hand
lightly through Ana's honey blonde silky hair. There were only three days
left until the Tamale Fest, and the Christmas feeling was in the air. "I
sure am! It is always a lot of fun, and I love throwing candy to the people on
the side of the road!"Ana had been riding horses for two years now, and
this year would be riding her horse Covre (Copper) in the parade for the first
time. Destiny had gotten Covre for her daughter when it looked like Shadow would
not be rideable for a long time. "I'm really looking forward to the
bonfire after the parade, and Mr. Guerra telling cow tales beside the bonfire!"The
fifteen year old grinned charmingly at her mother through metal braces, which
would be coming off in about six months. "You are such a smoothie, young
lady! I know you are just anxious to go look at all the pregnant mares that Mr.
Guerra has getting ready to have their little sugar babies in the spring!"Ana
laughed along with her mother, and wryly acknowledged the truth of the statement.

Changing the subject, Destiny asked "Did Rose get all the decorations
for the girls that you are going to use this year?"Rose was the Director
for Ana's horse riding team. Ana rode on an all-girls Escaramuza (skirmish
in english) side-saddle drill team. The Escaramuza tradition had formed in the
1800's, when the women of Mexico rode alongside the Charros (Mexican cowboys
or soldiers), and had evolved into being used as entertainment in Charreadas
(Mexican rodeos). An eight girl horseback team, riding along, flowing dresses,
sombreros, elegant riding boots and spurs, rode to choreographed music, weaving
delicately in and out of each other, doing all kinds of maneuvers which left
the spectators breathless, sure the horses and riders would ultimately crash
into each other, but split second timing, and a keen sense of trust in each other
and their horses combined to put on a dazzling display of horsemanship and eye-pleasing
entertainment.

Ana had put great effort into her riding capabilities. She was, at age 15,
as more than one person had remarked, a "natural". She could get
on practically any horse, regardless of its' level of training, and was
able to control and master the horse which was quite amazing to see. "So,
mom, are you going to ride Shadow in the parade after all?"Ana asked curiously. "Yes,
my little peach bud, I am. Shadow is far enough in his rehabilitation that he
can do it. We are almost at 12 miles now, so a little three mile parade won't
hurt him a bit". Destiny smiled down at her daughter (which, while Destiny
stood 5' 5 inches, her daughter, at age 15, was already 5'4, and
growing. Destiny smirked to herself as she imagined telling a 6 foot tall daughter
to go clean out her horses' stall. "Wanna help me start the cookie
dough for the cookies I volunteered to take to the pot luck after the parade?"

"Sure,
lead the way, Mom!"An eager 15 year old was doing a happy dance at the
thought of her mom's homemade baking.

The day of the Tamale Fest, Destiny, Nicole and Ana were at the stables, getting
their horses clean and shiny so they would look their best for the parade. The
other members of Ana's riding team would be tricking in over the next two
hours to get their own horses ready. Since the arena where the parade would start
from was only about a mile down the road, some of the group such as the three
friends was going to ride their horses over, and then ride them back after the
event was over. They would be riding in the dark since the parade did not even
start until night fall, but all three were well familiar with the road, and what
to watch out for. As the road was well lit, they were not worried about any cars
along the highway not being able to see them on the side of the road. "Hey,
runt,"Nicole said to Ana, "Make sure your decorations are tied on
good and tight. The last thing we need is something falling off and making Covre
or own of the other horses spook". "I will,"Ana replied, but
I think it is Mom you need to worry about."They both looked over at Destiny,
whose face was screwed up in concentration, the tip of her pink tongue sticking
out just a bit, making Nicole feel warm in parts that had been pretty cold just
moments before. Oooooh, what I could do to that tongue, she thought. Huh? Tongue?
What? "Aaahhhhh, I think I am going to head over to the market over on
Rocky Road. Rose said she needed a few dozen more tamales for the potluck tonight,
and, I, ah, told her I would go."With that said, she tied her Peruvian
Paso horse Chica to the convenient pole close to her, and practically ran for
her truck. The thing mother and daughter heard was the sound of Nicole's
truck racing down the road into town, as if the ghost of Christmas Past was chasing
her. "Wonder what's wrong with her?"Destiny mildly asked.
Ana just shrugged her shoulders and continued making sure all the decorations
were affixed tightly where they needed to be.

"Oooh, look at that starburst", one of Ana's team mates,
Jen exclaimed. "Yeah, that was really pretty", agreed another friend
Meghan, as they waited for the parade to begin. "Hey, Jen said, "my
mom said she saw Nicole heading into town earlier. She said that it looked like
Nicole was upset. Does anyone know what happened?"

"I don't
know", said Ana she came walking up to the small group. "She, my
mom and I were getting the horses ready, and we were talking, and all of a sudden
her face got really red, and she said she had to go into town for some more tamales."

"Hmmm",
said Jen, "I hope she is not coming down with the flu that is going around.
That would be really rotten timing, with Christmas just around the corner."The
girls looked at each other. "Hey, Ana, Jen, Meghan! Come on! It is time
to line up for the parade!"Looking over, they saw the rest of the team
getting lined up in the proper spaces that they were allotted for the parade. "Come
on!"Let's go!"

Destiny and Nicole got into their places in the parade with their friends
from the Cow Tales trail rider group. Destiny found herself behind Nicole and
her horse, watching the gentle sway of her best friend's hips and rear
as they rode along. "....Destiny? Destiny? Are you listening to me?"Destiny
turned her head quickly, almost falling off her horse in the rush of motion. "Were
you talking to me, Beth?"

"I was, but I am pretty sure your mind
was on something else"Beth said, as she watched her buddy regain her equilibrium. "Huh?
What do you mean? Destiny asked as she tried to regain her composure, meanwhile
thinking 'Why does looking at the back of Nicole affect me like that?' "Ohhhh,
nothing, m'dear, just that you looked like you were thing about chocolate
when you were staring at Nicole's butt"she said slyly as her friend
started to blush. "Hey! She is my best friend! So – what do you think
about Shadow's decorations?"she asked as she tried to change the
subject. "Oh, they are really nice. I like the way you used the garland
down his mane...very nice"Beth said, smirking to herself as she allowed
the topic of conversation to be changed.

The friends continued chatting about the different decorations on the horses
and riders as they continued their way along the parade route.

Back at the play day arena where the parade had started, bonfires and hot
chocolate (as well as spiced cider for the more mature of the cold riders) waited
for the riders upon their return.

Destiny rode up to the group her daughter stood chatting with, asking brightly "Hey
you guys, did you all enjoy the parade?"Ana looked smilingly up at her
mother. "We sure did! We can't for next year's parade, right
ya'll?"The rest of the girls smiled and agreed. "I'm
glad you enjoyed it ladies – now I am going to go unsaddle Shadow and get
his blanket on him – I am not sure which one of us is shivering more!"As
the girls laughed in understanding, heads nodding up and down, Destiny rode away,
intent on performing a few "warm up"chores for Shadow before she
herself made herself a little warmer and more comfortable. 'I wonder what
Beth meant about me staring at Nicole – I don't think of her in that
way...do I?' she mused as she rode along. 'She is my best friend,
someone I can trust with all my secrets and longings...if I felt that
way towards her, I would know it...would'nt I? I mean, she
and I have seen good and plenty of each other over the years...through relationships,
through when I had Ana, through the divorce...she has never acted inappropriately
towards me...has she? I mean, that one time we were riding, and she called
me a slo poke and challenged me to a race, and the winner would get to see the
loser swim naked in Medina River...that didn't mean anything but some
old fashioned rivalry...right? And all those hugs and kisses didn't
mean anything more than best friendship...right? As she continued musing
to herself, she was unaware of being watched by a pair of green eyes that closed
halfway, in pain.

God, I wish I could bring myself to tell her I love her. I just can't
do this anymore. She has never shown me that she feels anything romantic for
me. Joe up in Abilene told me he has a job for me anytime I want it. I can just
put my notice in at the ranch, and I can be there by the New Year. There, she
thought in satisfaction. New Year, new life, new me. Destiny is better off without
me anyway. Remember that guy that wanted to ask her out, and I pretended to have
a stomachache so that Destiny told the guy we had to get back to the ranch? Why
did I do that? Just couldn't keep out of it...just do not want her
to be with anyone but me....yep, a new life and a New Year...it is
better all the way around. With that decided, but with a heavy heart that felt
like it was breaking, Nicole turned around and headed toward the bonfire and
some much needed liquid warmth.

As Nicole stepped up to the bonfire, she automatically put on a tight smile,
as she canned the area for Destiny. She spotted the short blonde horse trainer
on the other side of the roped off area, chatting with are ranchers, holding
a cup of spiced cider, that steamed gently in the cold night. As she watched,
Destiny's head came up, as if she heard something. She looked Nicole's
way, and her smile brightened as she saw the rancher standing there. Destiny
extended a hand toward her, and said "Hey you old Goober, come on over
here and warm up."As Nicole's hand brushed Destiny's, they
both felt an electric charge run up their arms from the touch. Two pairs of eyes
widened in recognition of the moment. "Nicole, I"

"Destiny,
I"they both spoke together, and then both stopped. "After you"Destiny
smiled at Nicole. "No, no, you first."Nicole grinned bashfully at
her friend. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you come over for brunch
tomorrow after you feed the horses, and we can talk then? I'm so cold I
think my teeth are going to come rattling out with the cold!"Destiny suggested
ash she looked up at her tall friend. "Sure, I can do that"agreed
Nicole. "I'm gonna go get some cider – you need a top off? "No"said
Destiny "I still need to load the horses in the trailer, and get them bedded
down. Poor thing, Shadow was so cold I already put his blanket on, and made him
a warm mash – he is probably snoring right now."The two friends
laughed amiably, and Destiny went off to find her daughter and horse so she could
get them all home, and in from the cold.

The next morning Destiny woke to find the sun in her eyes, streaming in from
her bedroom window to hit her squarely in the face. "Ugghh...mom was
right, I should never have wanted to be a rancher. Should have been a banker
or something...."She snuggled under the covers, and then threw them
back away from her body as she strained to look at the clock. 'Oh my gosh!
It is after 8:00! Nicole will be here soon! I don't have anything planned
for brunch! And the horses haven't been fed yet!' she jumped out
of the bed, wincing as bare feet touched the cold oak wood floors...darn
it! Where are my slippers? She looked around, and then under the bed. Aha! She
triumphantly withdrew her worn (but sill warm!) horse head fleece slippers, and
hastened to the rest room to clean up and get dressed to go feed the horses.

Dressed, she flew down the stairs and through the first floor of the house.
Throwing open the back door, she abruptly came to a stop as her daughter Ana
stepped into the doorway. "Arrrgh! Mom! Whoa! Slow down! Where's
the fire?"Destiny jumped back, and stammered "Horses, feed...hay...brunch...what?"Ana
looked at her mother in concern. "OK, mom, just how much spiced cider did
you have last night?"Hands on her slim 15 year old hips, Ana looked like
a stern mother scolding her wayward child. "No! Umm...I mean – I
only had one glass! And then we came home. That's all. Why?"

"Well,
mom, ever since we left Mr. Guerra's, on the way home, and putting the
horses up, you have had a really goofy look on your face. And this morning you
are acting like a lemonhead. What is going on with you?"she asked as she
regarded her mother with concern. "I don't know...Nicole...thoughts....talk...today...brunch..."she
babbled helplessly.

"Ah, OK, I see it is time we had the ole 'Daughter-Mommy' talk.
Come on, I already fed and watered the horses, the cattle have hay, and we need
to talk."

Numbly Destiny followed her only child back into the kitchen, closing the
back door behind her. She sat down at the breakfast table and watched as her
daughter efficiently brewed coffee for Destiny and hot coacoa for herself. Destiny
neatly placed the two steaming mugs on the table, one in front of her mother,
and one at the chair where she also took a seat. "OK, mom, what I am about
to tell you may shock you, but I think it is time you hear it. I am not getting
any younger, and will soon be off to vet school. I want you to be taken care
of, and well, I think Nicole is the one to do it."Destiny looked at her
daughter as if she had just thrown her an atomic fire ball. "What on earth
are you talking about, Ana? Of course Nicole will still be here when you go off
to college, but I can take care of myself just fine, young lady."Hurt
and for some reason feeling embarrassed, Destiny sat back and regarded her daughter.
Ana calmly looked back at her and said "Yes, Mom, I do think that Nicole
will be here. And yes, I know you can take care of yourself. But you need a companion,
someone to share your life with. Someone to watch sunsets go down with, to snuggle
with at night."Destiny regarded Ana with confusion. "OK, so what
does sharing my life with a companion have to do with Nicole?"

"Mom!
Do I have to spell it out for you? You and Nicole love each other, and belong
together! For the rest of your lives. Even a tootsie roll can see that."

The rancher was still confused. "OK, so tell me what that has to do
with Nicole and I?"Ana groaned in frustration. "M-m-m-o-m-m-m....I
mean that you love, really love each other. As in Death-Do-Us-Part
love....now, do ya get it?"Destiny shook her head. "No we don't.
Even if we did, how do you know? I didn't even know it myself."As
the words left her mouth, she moaned in frustration. Ana smiled knowingly. "See?
I was right. Now all you two have to do is admit it to each other, and live happily
ever after."The rancher looked at With that, she finished her hot cocoa,
got up, and put the mug in the kitchen sink. "Good. Now that that is all
settled, I am going to go saddle up Dancer and go for a morning ride. Did you
notice it snowed last night?"With that, she danced merrily out the back
door, waving merrily, leaving her mother in somewhat of a shock sitting at the
kitchen table. "Oh, mom?"Ana popped her back in the doorway. "I
won't be home until tonight. I am riding over to Jill's and we are
going to go on a lonnnnnnnng trail ride."She winked at mother, and left
again.

Destiny mentally shook herself, and got up and put her own mug in the sink. 'OK,
now what do I want to make her? Something romantic...how can brunch be romantic?
I know, maybe some candles, soft music, maybe some flowers? Oh, don't be
silly....candles during the day? And where the heck would I get fresh flowers
in the middle of winter?' She smacked herself on the back of the head,
and went to the refrigerator to see what was available. "Hmmm...eggs,
bacon, potatoes for hash browns – what else? Ooooh, I know – Nicole
loves my home made rolls with strawberry jam."With that, she happily took
out the mentioned items, and started whipping up a terrific brunch for the woman
she <gulp> loved.

"Hey, something smells great!"Nicole came in the back door, having
a heard a faint "Come In"answer to her knock. She grinned at the
rancher, who was just finishing pulling out a tray of homemade rolls. "Oooohhhh,
are those...?"Nicole's voice drifted off as she gazed in hunger
at the tray of rolls. "Yep, made 'em myself with these two little
hands"Destiny smiled as she held out her flour-covered hands to her friend. "So,
you want me to set the table?"Nicole offered as she forced her gaze away
from the hands that she wished were covered with her instead of the flour. "Umm,
sure, you know where the dishes and silverware are."Unsure of what had
caused her friends sudden discomfort, she bustled around the kitchen, checking
the coffee brewing, and any other item she could see that needed checking.

"Ohhhhhhh...that was great, Destiny! I am stuffed!"Nicole
rubbed her full tummy, and stretched back in her chair. "You really know
how to cook!"Destiny smiled, and said, in a tentative voice, "Ummm...do
you want to freshen your coffee? We can go into the den and have that talk we
were going to have last night."

"Oh, uh, sure, let me get yours too."Gracefully
the horse trainer rose, and picking up both mugs moved to the counter and freshened
both mugs with fresh coffee. The two amiably moved into the den, and settled
themselves on a well-worn leather sofa.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"The rancher asked
nervously. Now that the time had come, Nicole was not at all sure she could do
this. But she had decided that it was best for both of them – right? "Ah
hem"she cleared her throat. "Well, uh, I have been doing a lot of
thinking..."

"Yes?"Destiny asked, looking away from her
friend. "Well, see, Joe up in Abilene – you remember, the guy with
that back arabian horse breeding spread?"At her friends' nod of
remembrance, she continued, "Well, he offered me a job, and well, I think
I am going to take it. This place is going well enough, and that guy you took
on last year has really learned the ropes. Joe really needs someone, and offered
me a great opportunity."Destiny felt her world crashing down around her.
Here she had finally admitted she loved Nicole, and now, when she was finally
ready to admit it to both of them, now Nicole was leaving? "Oh, well, OK,
that is a good move for you"Destiny smiled waveringly at her friend, willing
the tears she felt welling in her eyes to not dare spill over. "I think
that is a good opportunity for you, and while we will miss you, I know you must
be looking forward to a new challenge..."her voice trailed off, and
she could not look at the horse trainer any more. "I, uh, have some chores
I need to do. When were you planning on leaving?"She asked, her back turned
from her friend, praying she could hold herself together long enough to get through
this conversation. "Well, I thought I could get the new guy more involved
with the way the billings and finances are run around here, and probably be ready
to take off around the first of the year."Destiny nodded numbly, and said
in a faint voice "Oh, that soon...OK...well...I'll
see you for dinner, OK? With that, she made her way blindly out the door and
up the stairs, throwing herself on her bed, and finally allowing the tears that
had threatened for so long to fall and melt into the pillowcase.

Nicole moved dully around her cabin, aimlessly picking up and discarding things
she needed to pack for her move up north. "I am doing the right thing"she
told herself. She does not love me that way, and I cannot bear to be around her
anymore without that love. I sure am going to miss this place, though. She sighed
as she sat heavily down in her favorite rocking chair, remembering the many times
she and Destiny had sat in this very room, talking about their futures and plans
for those futures. Well, her future is in her hands now, and I do not have any
right to wish I were going to be in that future. She sighed again and got up
to resume her packing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mom, I am so sorry things did not work out with Nicole. But she is
still your friend...you have been avoiding her for the last two weeks like
she is the Black Plague. That is not fair. Did she even tell you why she doesn't
feel the same way as you do?"Ana looked at her mother in concern. "No,
the subject never even came up."Destiny mentioned dejectedly. "WHAT?
You didn't even tell her? For such a smartie mom, you sure act like a Squirley
Nut sometimes!"Hands on her hips, Ana regarded her mother with dismay. "So,
what, exactly happened? I didn't ask before, because I thought the two
of you would come to your senses, but I can see that is so not going to happen
anytime soon."Destiny looked at her daughter sadly. "Well, we went
to the den after brunch so we could talk. Just as I was about to tell her I love
her, and want to spend the rest of my life with her, she told me that she had
gotten a job offer, and was going to take it. How can I rob her of such a good
career move? I just want her happy."Ana walked over to her mother, and
took her in her arms. "Mom, you are the BEST person I know...and also
the dumbest. You would sacrifice your happiness for her...wow...that
is love."She hugged her mom, and told her she would do the evening feeding
of the horses and cattle. "Go up and rest, Mom...it will all work
out. I just know it."Shooing her mother out of the room, she sat back
down on the sofa and pondered 'Now, how am I going to make that happen?'

Nicole turned from the luggage she was loading in her 2005 GMC Jimmy 4X4 when
she heard her name called. She smiled when she saw Nicole striding towards her. "Hey,
brat, you come out to see me off?"the horse trainer looked back beyond
Ana to see if she could see Destiny, and was disappointed when she did not. "No,
I really didn't, but I do want to talk to you. Do you have time before
you leave?"

"Sure, come on in the cabin, it is pretty nippy out here."The
two walked into the cabin, where the horse trainer offered Destiny some hot cocoa
or coffee. "No, thanks, this is not a social call."Destiny sat down,
and waited for Nicole to join her.

"Ummm...well, then why did you come to see me? She asked a bit
nervously as she watched the sadness in Destiny's eyes start to change
into something else – anger?

"Nicole, I need to ask you something, and I need an honest answer."Destiny
started out. "Nicole blinked her eyes and said "Of course. I have
always told you the truth, even when I knew it would hurt you."OK, here
goes. "Do you love my mom?"

"Of course I do! Why ever would
you think I didn't?"

"Then why are you leaving her?"Getting
up, Destiny paced back and forth in the small room, growing more agitated as
she paced. "Did you know Mom has spent every night in her room crying her
eyes out? That she is thinking about moving into the city? That she loves you
with all her heart? And that you, by leaving, are breaking that heart?"As
the words spilled out, she sat down, suddenly afraid she had said too much, or
that she might not have said enough. "She...she loves me? How can
that be? She has never said anything...she never...SHE LOVES ME!"But..."But
if she loves me, why didn't she tell me? Why is she letting me leave without
telling me? It isn't that I want to leave, but it is tearing me up inside,
knowing that I do love her, and that I can never tell her that because she could
never love me that way."The horse trainer looked over at Nicole pleadingly. "Now
what do I do?"

"Get over to that ranch house and show her how much
you love her! Ya big Lemon Drop!"

Foregoing her truck, Nicole took off on foot to the ranch house, joy and amazement
fueling her every step. 'I can't believe it! She loves me! ME!"she
stopped abruptly as she got to the back porch door, seeing it swing open and
her heart's desire enter the doorway. "I love –" "I
love –" both sentences were silenced as the two met, their bodies
melting into a searing kiss. Swiftly moving inside the house, and continuing
the kiss, and giving herself no more time to think, Nicole reached out and slowly
undid the top button of Destiny's shirt and looked into the beautiful blue eyes.
With a nod, Destiny let her know that her answer was yes. This was all the confirmation
Nicole needed as she continued to unbutton the rest of the tall woman's buttons.
Finally, as she finished, she reached under the flaps at the bottom of Destiny's
shirt, she allowed her knuckles to softly graze the soft, tight abdomen of her
future lover as she reverently slid the shirt over Destiny's broad shoulders.
Nicole's mouth went completely dry as she gazed at the delicious treasure before
her. She had never seen such a beautiful form, as was standing before her. The
full firm breasts were perky and a delectable shade of brown. Destiny's nipples
were a darker pinkish brown that turned darker as they puckered into tight buds
while the blonde slowly watched and licked her lips. It took all the strength
Nicole had not to throw herself on the darkly tanned woman and ravage her.

The way Nicole was looking at her made the last doubts that Destiny had about
rushing things fly out the door. Without any further hesitation, Destiny shrugged
out of the rest of her clothes and let the small blonde woman look her fill.
That one step of trust resurrected Nicole's spirit that had been buried for so
long, and she realized that this tall, dark, beautiful woman was the keeper of
her heart. With no other hesitation Nicole stepped back, allowing Destiny to
see as she dropped her clothes to the floor. Both women were totally in awe of
what they saw before them. Slowly they stepped into each other and, with perfection,
their bodies molded into one as they entered into a new passionate kiss.

Destiny pulled back slightly and gently led her love the last few steps to
the bed. The blonde fell back as the back of her knees hit the bed, pulling the
taller woman down on top of her. The slow burn of lovemaking turned quickly into
a passionate fire. While making her way down Nicole's body with small kisses,
Destiny's body was going into total burnout. Destiny felt the soft moans and
gasps of her lover all the way to her now stiff clit. Her blood raced and it
took all of the rest of her strength not to quickly bury her mouth into Nicole's
apex and bring them both to fulfillment. Meanwhile, Nicole's shuddering body
had other ideas. With her senses and hormones raging out of control the blond
turned the tables on the brunette. Before Destiny knew it she found herself flat
on her back with the voluptuous, firm, muscled blond on top of her.

Gasping, Nicole looked into the rich blue orbs of the delicious woman underneath
her and settled between the brunette's thighs. She shivered slightly as
she looked at the curly dark hair adorning the heart of her lover's sex. Slowly,
she settled Destiny's legs over her shoulders as she breathed in the spicy, musky
scent of her love's arousal, her face only an inch from the source. Slowly wanting
to glory in the taste, she stroked the flat of her tongue through the soft, silky
heart of her heart's desire. Loudly she moaned as the slightly salty taste of
her lover's arousal hit her taste buds. There was no way on earth she could slow
her tongue even as her lover cried out with ecstasy. Nicole lapped all of her
lover's arousal as if she was a starving beggar. Destiny was doing everything
she could to stop the impending orgasm, but even as she tried to think of baseball
and other things there was no way she could stop it. As her clit started twitching
her lover made her tongue as firm and pointed as she could and thrust the muscle
into Destiny's opening. A

ll at once, Nicole heard her itself forced the blonde's
body into a soul screaming orgasm. Finally, Nicole was able to slow her tongue
down so she could feel the continuing small quivers of aftershocks of her lover's
orgasm. Slowly Nicole drew her face back from the warm haven of her lover and
smiled lover scream out and felt her body start convulsing as an orgasm shot
through Destiny. Destiny kept her eyes on the blonde, drinking up the love shining
from the beautiful woman that had brought her a piece of heaven as she slowly
moved the blonde into the bend of her shoulder. Never before had she felt this
way. She heard her lover's breathing slowly returning to normal as Destiny stared
straight ahead, it was if she could actually see their two souls and hearts entwining
together in the air above them. Slowly she bent her head down to look at her
love it was then she noticed the pretty face looking back at her. Lovingly the
two women looked into each other's eyes and spoke the most endearing words
the two had ever heard, I love you. With this, their minds, bodies, hearts and
souls were now at peace, their spirits had found their home within each other.